Sexual Health news - Oral and Genital Herpes

Researchers hope to begin studying the effect of herpes vaccine on patients

By Lisa Oldson, MD
Aug. 09, 2012

Genital herpes is the most common sexually transmitted disease (STD) in the U.S. and many infected individuals are not aware of their status, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The virus can be spread through direct skin-to-skin contact even if there are no visible sores.

However, Genocea Biosciences, vaccine development company from Cambridge, Mass., plans to present significant data on a vaccine in the works to treat herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2). The presentation will take place at the 37th annual International Herpesvirus Workshop in Calgary, Alberta in early August.

The new vaccine activates T-cell immune response to HSV-2, which is currently the most common cause of genital herpes. The company hopes that the product will begin in clinical trials in the near future.

"As we advance toward the clinic, these data give us great confidence in our lead vaccine candidate, and suggest that we have identified full protein antigens that stimulate a balanced and effective B and T cell immune response," said Jessica Flechtner, vice president of research at Genocea.

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